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\n A man is tackled after spraying an unknown substance at US Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) (L) during a town hall she was hosting in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 27, 2026. (Photo by Octavio JONES \/ AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n
OCTAVIO JONES\/AFP via Getty Images\/AFP<\/p>\n
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OCTAVIO JONES\/AFP via Getty Images\/AFP<\/p>\n
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., was rushed by a man during a town hall event Tuesday night and sprayed with a liquid via a syringe. <\/p>\n
Footage<\/a> from the event shows a man approaching Omar at her lectern as she is delivering remarks and spraying an unknown substance in her direction, before swiftly being tackled by security. Omar called on Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign or face impeachment immediately before the assault.<\/p>\n Noem has faced criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle in the aftermath of the fatal shooting<\/a> of 37-year-old intensive care nurse Alex Pretti<\/a> by federal officers in Minneapolis Saturday. <\/p>\n Omar’s staff can be heard urging her to step away and get “checked out,” with others nearby saying the substance smelled bad. <\/p>\n “We will continue,” Omar responded. “These f******* a**holes are not going to get away with it.” <\/p>\n A statement from Omar’s office released after the event said the individual who approached and sprayed the congresswoman is now in custody. <\/p>\n “The Congresswoman is okay,” the statement read. “She continued with her town hall because she doesn’t let bullies win.”<\/p>\n \n A syringe lays on the ground after a man, left, approached Representative Ilhan Omar, a Democrat from Minnesota, during a town hall event in Minneapolis, Minnesota, US, on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. The man was apprehended after spraying an unknown substance according to the Associated Press. Photographer: Angelina Katsanis\/Bloomberg via Getty Images<\/p>\n Bloomberg\/Bloomberg via Getty Images\/Bloomberg<\/p>\n hide caption\n <\/p>\n toggle caption<\/p>\n Bloomberg\/Bloomberg via Getty Images\/Bloomberg<\/p>\n Omar followed up with a statement on social media saying she will not be intimidated.<\/p>\n I\u2019m ok. I\u2019m a survivor so this small agitator isn\u2019t going to intimidate me from doing my work. <\/p>\n I don\u2019t let bullies win. <\/p>\n Grateful to my incredible constituents who rallied behind me. Minnesota strong.<\/p>\n \u2014 Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) January 28, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n As Omar continued her remarks at the town hall, she said: “We are Minnesota strong and we will stay resilient in the face of whatever they might throw at us.” <\/p>\n Just three days ago, fellow Democrat Rep. Maxwell Frost of Florida said he was assaulted<\/a> at the Sundance Festival by a man “who told me that Trump was going to deport me before he punched me in the face.” <\/p>\n Threats against Congressional lawmakers have been rising. Last year, there was an increase in security funding<\/a> in the wake of growing concerns about political violence<\/a> in the country.<\/p>\n According to the U.S. Capitol Police, the number of threat assessment cases has increased for the third year<\/a> in a row. In 2025, the USCP investigated 14,938 “concerning statements, behaviors, and communications” directed towards congressional lawmakers, their families and staff. That figure represents a nearly 58% increase from 2024. <\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1769582048_978_.jpeg\")
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